How to repair Windows XP/2000 if you are unable to boot into Windows

XP SP2
on a dell pc
i had problems booting into windows so i went into the recovery console and the following from kellys-corner

"To replace the damaged registry hive and restore the backup copy of the hive from the Repair folder: Start your computer to the Recovery Console.

Determine if the file that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this article is present, and if it is, rename it:

In Recovery Console, change to the c:\Windows folder.

Type cd system32\config , and then press ENTER.

Type dir system , and then press ENTER.

If you cannot run the preceding command successfully (because the file is missing), skip to step 3. If you can run the preceding command successfully, type ren system system.bak , and then press ENTER.

NOTE : If the message that you received referred to the software file, replace "system" with "software" in the preceding command. For example, you would type ren software software.bak (instead of ren system system.bak ), and then press ENTER.

Type copy c:\windows\repair\system , and then press ENTER"

i did this for the system and software
i now get into windows but i cant access word, outlook... and several desktop icons are gone
i looked on explorer and its created a new profile for me called chris.NONE.EC7A445E32
along side my 'real profile' chris, which is still there and contains all my required info
how do i get it back
all i want to do really is access my outlook to get hold of my old emails, but it it says 'this action is only valid for products that are currently installed'

OK, I know that I'm a little late to respond to this thread, but yesterday I just came across a serious issue. I just installed a new motherboard, a new 64bit athlon processor and am using the same HD, graphics card, RAM, etc. Now I am unable to boot windows. I can get in the BIOS and I tried to run from my Windows XP Pro CD, but no dice. I haven't tested the RAM yet, but I don't think they are the problem.

Ok guys, this is a duplicate post I have in the hardware side. Please help if able!
specs:
AMD64 3000
gigabyte K8N-Pro
2GB Crucial Pc3200
2X 80GB Western Digital SATA HD's in RAID Zero
Radeon 9800Pro
Windows XP Home SP2
A few extra fans
No OC

I get the missing/corrupt file for system32\hal.dll. when I boot up.
-I have read the thread on this topic, but it doesn't address RAID systems.
-I tried to boot from XP CD, wouldn't read from it, same error message.
-I changed BIOS to have CDROM boot first; when prompted to hit any key to continue , I get same error message, it doesn't boot from CD.
-I Googled the problem, every link I get talks about using the CD to repair the problem. Since I can't do that I'm stuck.
I think that Windows is defaulting to an IDE setup, and is not "seeing" the RAID drives, so it won't go any farther in the process. I know that when you use the XP CD to repair, it will ask for the option of using a RAID floppy to set it up, but I can't get that far in the process.
I downloaded a NTSF Boot.iso disk form Bootdisk.com, but I don't have enough knowledge to work at that level.
Is there any way to "force" the BIOS to recognize the RAID setup during boot?
Is there any other way to install the missing/corrupted file without using the XP CD? Can I burn it onto a floppy or something?
I'm wide open to sugestions. Like many other mentally-challenged people, I don't have anything backed-up, and would rather not have to re-install everything. :dead:

What happened:
After playing for the first time a few seconds of a recently downloaded copy of Disney's Bambi and quickly closing realplayer my computer made some horid knocking sounds with physical movement actually able to be felt (lower right corner). I clicked every pogram to close (but did not shut down or restart the computer) and left before I saw any results. I returned in approximately 20 minutes to find my computer in a loop of restarts. It was on the screen with "safe mode, Safe mode with networking...Start normally"

Next the windows XP screen comes on with the green bar, the blue screen then flashes for a 0.25 second then is gone.

After that the toshiba screen comes on then it eventually goes right back to the "safe mode start screen." If I leave it alone it starts over again in 30 seconds.

What I have tried:
I have read all 13 pages of this thread about 2 are similiar to my problem, but none are the same.

I have tried hitting F8, F3, "R" and a few other keys while the blue screen flashes by just to try and get a new screen. No avail.

I have held down C, F2, and other keys while starting it up to try to restart via the cd. It does not even acknowledge that I am attempting it.

I have enterd BIOS and rearranged the priority of start up putting the CD >LAN>HDD>FDD (and a few other combinations) with the original reboot disc in. Then I get the error PXE-E61 with the other one everyone gets saying to check the cable. It then goes automatically back to the "safe" pages.

Impression:
I have no idea!! Possibily a virus. I am not too computer savy. I can telll you that the knocking sound seemed to be coming from the lower right corner of the computer (if that helps?). I don't care about losing my work. I just need my computer back. PLEASE HELP!!!

I have another question. I have these problems with windows like this screen:

------------------------------------------------------
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<windows root>\system32\HAL.DLL

You can attempt to repair this by inserting your Windows CD and pressing 'r' at the first screen

------------------------------------------------------

Lets eliminate the Windows XP CD from there. Also, there is no hope of getting one from a friend. How do you repair this? I have an eMachines T2682 with Intel Celeron processor, 768 MB RAM, 80 GB western Digital HDD. I have a restore DVD, but it wipes all my work. I really dont like my save games lost, so HOW DO I REPAIR WINDOWS IN THIS SITUATION?

i'M RUNNING XP AND IT WILL NOT BOOT ALL THE WAY.SO I TRIED TO GET A NEW OPERATING SYSTEM ON A NEW HARD DRIVE AND IT WILL NOT BOOT OR SETUP NEW OS. I TRY TO REFORMAT THE NEW HARD DRIVE WITH EVERY WINDOWS CD FROM 98 TO 2000 TO XP,I USED SYTEM RESTORE DISKS..IT ALWAYS FREEZES AT SOME POINT IN THE SETUP OR DISK CHECK OR WHATEVER. COULD IT BE THE MOTHERBOARD.
LAST HARDRIVE I ACTUALLY GOT IT TO BOOT MOST OF THE WAY BUT IT EVENTUALLY FROZE AGAIN AS ALL THE ICONS WERE APPEARING ON THE DESKTOP.

i am a pc technition myself and really stuck!
i keep getting the blue screen of death!
the message is always the same "page_fault_in_non_paged_area"
it wont let me start in any mode including safe mode
i have tried to repair my xp with the win cd
completly reboot
still the same problem.
i know the fault is with the page file.
i know the fix(right click on mycomputer, properties,advanced,performance,disable the page file, restart do the same process and enable it)
i cant even get into safemode!
i know i can fix this problem by formatting, but i dont want too loose my files
i have a 250 gig sata
with 3 partitions
boot
restore
and drivers
please can someone email me the fix as im always on the movemikex83x@yahoo.co.uk
thanks

I've read through 10 pages of this thread without finding an answer to my WinXP repair problem - ultimately I can't install a new copy of WinXP on the original C: (new mobo now) since I no longer have access to Admin which resides on that drive - a wierd Boot up error: black screen with the Boot.ini page scrolling forever ... So I partitioned D: (20GB) to a 5GB E: to create a new OS, and try to repair the original OS from there.

At any rate ... when I work through the various options of booting from CDROM (like I said I read 10 pages of this thread and many other threads!), following various repair options from the WinXP CDROM, ultimately I run up against this:

Which may be related to a boot up error which is a locked black screen page scrolling the boot.ini text.

Or,

When I installed a new OS on E: I had to contact friggin MS for new authentification, to validate my ongoing new WinXP SP2 installation (this only effects SP2 users).

At any rate all I really want is this: To regain access to the Administrator's (me!) files in the "My Documents" folder on C:. Then I can move those personal doc's into "My Documents" folder on E:. Then I can simply format C: and use it for storage.

Ay help will be greatly appreciated since I have spent over 40 hours trying to either fix the installation, or simply copy my Admin files to the new drive.

I must first start by apologizing, I am not able to get very much information about my computer at this time. For the last several weeks my computer has crashed to the blue screen of death, It would say "windows has encountered a serious error etc..." The problem appeared to be that my wireless network adapter (Linksys WUSBG) and my video card (NVIDIA GForce) weren't compatable. To make a long story short I stopped using the internet until I could buy a new wireless adapter, however my girlfriend decided to use it one day and it crashed with the same blue screen 5 times in a row, everytime she would open internet explorer it would crash. The last time it crashed, it took a dump. Now when I start the computer it gets to the windows xp logo, and then right as it is about to go to the login prompt the screen goes black, no error messages nothing, I have to do a cold re-boot to restart. So, I tried to start in safe mode, and I get these multiple lines of what appear to be codes followed by names of a bunch of dll files and then it stalls, cannot ctl-alt-del or anything, I have to cold re-boot. So I insert the WinXP pro cd, try to install windows again to get to the repair function, and it stalls at a blue window that says "starting windows"!! I am so depressed, as I was a complete ***** and didn't backup my music files or pictures. Any help would be great. P.S when my computer would encounter a serios error it read IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. I would love to give more info, but seeing as how I cannot get into my pc to disect the log of errors I don't know what else to say.

Since I dont know if I am in the right thread to get my question answered, I am also going to start a new thread. Thanks for any help!!

Hi, I have been reading through some of these threads but can not see an answer to my problem. My missus PC wont boot, she bought it pre-installed with win XP a number of years ago and not get original disc's, she has a restore CD but as I can not get into Windows it's no help. Every time the PC boots she gets a message saying a device attached to the PC is not working proberly. I assumed (in my ignorance) that it was an OS problem but I am unable to fix the problem. I have read the thread about installing if xp wont boot etc (even from safe mode) but the original disc is required. I have a new DELL PC which again came pre installed. I have a restore CD also but when I try to boot from CD it doesn't work (although I have used t on my PC and it worked fine). I can not get into BIOS either, whoever built the computer pass word protected the BIOS.
Any suggestions would be very grateful.

Carl, if this is for the old computer, you are probably in luck. Open your case, use a high power shopvac to remove the dust that makes your pci cards look like members of zz top, and look on the board for the jumper that has password written near it (directly below or above). Remove the jumper, plug everything back in, and power it back up. It should allow you to enter the BIOS. If it is for the newer computer, check with Dell or the previous owner. If that doesnt work, go to the manufacturer of the boards website, and download a BIOS flash. If that doesnt work, check out the specs on the board to find out how hard you have to throw it against a wall to break it. Anything beyond these two things are probably going to be time consuming and counter productive without having a super geek nearby.

i jus have a quick question, i recently bought a laptop, the specs are on my profile, and i jus cant seem to boot it from a windows xp professional cd, i dont have any of the original cds avaiable, so what can i do to make my laptop work? the boot stops, and windows cant seem to copy some important files, so what would u suggest i do?thank you for your help.

the specs of my laptop are at:http://laptopmag.com/Review/HP-Pavilion-ze4900.htm?Page=0
i jus have a question, i recetly bought a laptop from my friedn, but he did not give my any of the original cds. the laptop will not boot from a new windows xp professional cd because i belive it didnt have professional, but rather the originla xp version, blue scren pops up saying that windows cannot copy file sor find the, so what would u suggest i do?thank you for ur hlep

Hi, I've been through all of this thread and spent most the day Googling answers but unfortunately have not yet found a solution to my XP problem and so would ask for your help and advice.

My problem sounds similiar to Anthonyarena's, posted on this thread back in April 04. Very briefly, I can't load XP in any mode. In Safe (and other modes) it appears to hang at AGP440 and so I disabled this to no effect. I have also disconnected everything other than the screen and keyboard, again with no effect. I have tried the the XP Recovery CD but get to exactly the same point as Anthonyarena where it issues a warning not to load two OS's on the same drive and so this scares me off progressing.

I have a Fujitsu Scaleo T 3.2gb desktop and did have a overheating problem which I fixed today by cleaning out the fan (the fan problems on these machines are well documented). I'm not sure if this is related but thought it might be useful to let you know.

I followed the procedure through the last screen shot.
The install (Repair) seemed to be going OK, until the blue screen appeared, showing the STOP: 0x0000001E KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error.

I repeated the process several times, with the same result.

Does anyone know of resources from which I can learn about what in my system is causing the error?

The last message I recall seeing before the machine became un-bootable was something about the registry size needing to be increased. Is there a way to increase the size, perhaps using the Repair Console on the W2000 CD?

I browsed this thread only through page 4 of 14 pages, and posted this before quitting for the night, in the hopes that someone might respond overnight or early morning. I normally search an entire thread before posting, and will continue searching in the morning.

I don't know whats wrong with my computer, according to diagnostics my hard drive is fine, but i cannot install windows.

everytime i try to run a windows installation i either get a BSoD or the computer restarts without warning.

I'm currently booting from a cd (bartpe ultimate boot disc for windows) as my windows xp disc doesn't have a setup from boot.

it's completely frustrating, i don't know what's causing the problem, i haven't installed any new hardware since i got the computer, but the computer just keeps restarting itself and not allowing me to install windows.